Real Madrid's defender Sergio Ramos (left) rises to head the ball against Getafe's forward Lafia during their Spanish league match, which home side Getafe won 2-1. Photo: AFP

An angry Jose Mourinho gave his Real Madrid players a rare public tongue lashing after they squandered the lead and slumped to a 2-1 defeat at city neighbours Getafe in La Liga.

The shock reverse ended the Spanish champions' unbeaten run of 24 league matches, their longest in 15 years, and was the first time they had lost in La Liga after leading at half-time in more than five years.

After last week's 1-1 draw at home to Valencia, it also left them five points behind Barcelona after two matches, a significant gap in a rivalry that often goes toe to toe until the season finale.

"Real were very bad, an unacceptable match," a grim-faced Mourinho said, while refusing to single out any player in particular for criticism.

"The only message I want you to take away tonight is that it was a deserved defeat for us," he said.

"This was a match in which the defeat was absolutely deserved. More than two matches with just one point it was a horrible match."

Getafe's equaliser just after half-time, when Juan Valera slipped marker Sergio Ramos and nodded past Iker Casillas from a free-kick, would have particularly irked Mourinho given the amount of work the players have been doing on dead-ball situations in training.

They also conceded a header in similar circumstances when leading 1-0 against Valencia.

"We have been doing more work than ever on dead-ball situations and there is nothing more we can do," Mourinho said. "We cannot work any harder on organisation.

"That goal and the one we conceded against Valencia were two ridiculous goals."

Real's misery was compounded when defender Fabio Coentrao was sent off from the bench for protesting late on and will be suspended for the next match at home to Granada.

"We were unable to close out the game," Real's Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso said.

"Obviously, we have to improve and we are self-critical, but we have to take things slowly.

"It was a setback we really weren't expecting and we have to change the dynamic as soon as possible."

The last time Real stayed winless after two La Liga matches was in the 2001-02 season.

They finished third in La Liga and lost the King's Cup final to Deportivo Coruna, but won the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Lionel Messi had earlier saved an off-colour Barca from a first defeat of the campaign when he struck twice in the second half in a 2-1 comeback victory at 10-man Osasuna.

Barca's new coach Tito Vilanova, who replaced Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, blotted his away league debut when he was sent off from the bench for protesting a decision.

"The sending off was excessive as I didn't say anything that strong," he said. "We have to praise the capacity we showed in turning the game around.

"That means we are strong because doing that at this stadium you have to be mentally tough and ambitious."

Barca have six points from two games and top the table on goal difference from Rayo Vallecano, who also have six after their 2-1 win at Real Betis on Saturday.

Valencia failed to build on their impressive result at Real when they let slip a 2-0 lead and had Ricardo Costa sent off in a 3-3 draw at home to promoted Deportivo Coruna and are 12th on two points.

Real have a solitary point and are down in 15th.

They now need to regroup for tomorrow's Spanish Super Cup second leg at home to Barca, when they will be attempting to overturn a 3-2 deficit from last week's first leg at the Nou Camp.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Mourinho furious as Real slump to defeat